Over the past five years, UCF’s College of Undergraduate Studies has guided faculty in developing a new model for general education that promotes student success, emphasizes integrative learning, and creates a community among general education students and faculty.

After reviewing general education programs across the country, a team of faculty worked to secure broad campus buy-in for an integrated General Education Program (GEP) with common learning objectives and shared assessment methods. The team collaborated with key stakeholders to develop an innovative program that will help students make and articulate meaningful connections across all learning experiences throughout their time at UCF.

Students in the refreshed GEP program will make strong connections between and among their courses at UCF and their other life experiences, like co-curricular activities, work, and community engagement. They will connect their earliest coursework at UCF with their post-graduation plans.

Faculty can partner to think about course curricula, teaching strategies, and assessment methods and build a strong collaborative community focused on student success. It is also a professional development opportunity to support GEP teaching and research.

Implementation of the GEP Refresh began in fall 2021 and will continue over the next few years. During this time, faculty members will incorporate new learning outcomes and teaching strategies into their courses. We expect all GEP courses at UCF will align with the new approach by the end of the 2021-22 academic year.